Lesson 6

Choosing an online casino

Now that you've familiarized yourself with many of the principal themes and topics associated with online gambling in general, it's time to pick a place to begin your experience. However, with so many sites to choose from, how does one decide which casino offers the best "fit"? What should you be looking for? What are the differences and similarities?

To start, it's important to realize that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of casinos to choose from. You don't necessarily need to limit yourself to one in particular and eventually you may even have 4-5 favorites, which you frequent. In the beginning, however, it's a good idea to stick to just one.

Choosing which casino is best for you depends a lot on your personal tastes and preferences. Nevertheless, irrespective of your own inclinations, there are some factors that should invariably play major roles in determining where you begin.

1. Make sure the site you choose is a reputable one and recognized as such. To do this, check out online reviews and make sure you're not contemplating depositing money into or sharing personal information with a site that's reputed for shady behavior.
2. Check out the bonuses offered by each site. If it's possible to receive FREE money, take advantage of this!
3. Only visit sites that proudly display icons and/or proof of their integrity and trustworthiness. These can generally be found on the home page of the casino and indicate, among other things, adherence to: `Fair Play' initiatives, independent audits, secure software, and reliable payment processing.
4. Try and find sites that offer you the opportunity to play for FREE at first. This is a CRUCIAL step in familiarizing yourself with casino games and their rules and regulations. With so many sites offering such a service, it's rather foolish to choose one that forces you to play immediately with real money (and therefore, increases your chances of LOSING that money!).
5. Recognize the different types of casinos that exist. Visit our category dedicated to such information. You can find it here.

Once you've found a handful of sites, which meet the criteria above, you can base your final decision upon whether or not the graphics please you, the quality of their current promotions, etc. You can always choose to play at a different casino later - especially after you learn what you like and dislike - but in the beginning, it's important to choose a casino that best helps you to develop your skill and provides you with the most positive experience.

Continue to Lesson 7 - Bonuses and Customer Service
Lesson 8 - Downloading Software
Lesson 9 - Playing for Free
Lesson 10 - Depositing and Receiving your money